James M. “Jim” Huntley II of Cutchogue, and formerly of Southampton, passed away on Thursday, April 18, 2024. He was 65 years old.

Jim was born on Oct. 24, 1958, in Ames, Iowa to Barbara (née Parham) and James M. Huntley. He was one of two children. After high school, he attained his bachelor’s degree from Lebanon Valley College in Pennsylvania. On July 25, 1987, in Southampton, he married the love of his life, Mellina (née Zirekian) Huntley. Together they had one son, Cody.

In his professional career, Jim worked in sales at North Fork Welding Company in Greenport. Prior to that, he worked as a fisherman, worked in marine sales, and was the owner of the prior Gearwork and Marine Industrial in Riverhead.

Jim was a remarkable man. He was loving, smart, funny, hardworking and very genuine. He would give anything he could to help others. He had a great laugh and smile, and always generated positives with as many negatives that came his way. He was strong-willed, but very humble.

You will forever be in our hearts and by our side. Wherever Cody and I go, an whatever we do in life, you will always be there. “We are a happy family.”

Jim is survived by his wife, Mellina; son, Cody; and brother, John.

The family will receive friends Monday, April 29 from 4 to 7 p.m. at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Mattituck. 

In lieu of flowers, donations to NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) would be appreciated.

This is a paid notice.

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Here are the headlines for April 24, 2024.

THE SUFFOLK TIMES

Calling all good eggs: It’s national volunteer month

Records expert takes Southold from paper to pixels

RIVERHEAD NEWS-REVIEW

Blue Waves softballers stay unbeaten with Monday shutout

Students repurpose litter to create work of art with Cindy Pease Roe

SHELTER ISLAND REPORTER

Making a real difference on Shelter Island: Fire Department seeks volunteers

NORTHFORKER

The Dish: Founders Tavern, Southold

SOUTHFORKER

Cook This Now! Lauren Lombardi’s spring arugula salad with asparagus and peas

The daily update is a briefing on what’s happening across the North Fork and Shelter Island.

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The post Daily Update: Calling all good eggs: It’s national volunteer month appeared first on The Suffolk Times.

Area nonprofits are looking to recruit — and salute — volunteers. April is National Volunteer Month — and April 21-27 is National Volunteer Week ­— a commemoration that has several area nonprofits and civic groups looking to bolster their ranks through workshops and informational sessions explaining how just about anyone can pitch in to help.

Hallockville Museum Farm executive director Heather Johnson put a call out to, “all history buffs, farm fans and community service-oriented folks,” with a press release inviting them to learn about volunteering at the historic North Fork homestead during its Volunteer Recruitment Open House Saturday, April 27, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Volunteers are what make Hallockville “tick,” Ms. Johnson said, adding that many hands make light work. “Among the opportunities to help are gardening, organizing and staffing special events, maintaining the buildings, grounds and historical collections, giving tours and more,” the release said. “We encourage interested folks to sign up in advance by emailing asstdirector@hallockville.org or by phoning Hallockville at 631-298-5292.” She said walk-ins are welcome as well.

“Hallockville is a nonprofit organization with an important mission — connecting people with Long Island’s agricultural heritage and helping them to understand how that is relevant today,” Ms. Johnson said in the release. “The North Fork wineries and orchards, farm stands and its farm-to-table dining scene are all rooted in the area’s family farm heritage. We think it’s very important to bring that message forward now and for future generations.”

The percentage of the U.S. population that volunteers on an average day has declined by 28% during the past decade, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Area organizations that depend on volunteers are feeling the decline.

“From what I understand, many nonprofit and organizations are struggling to attract and retain volunteers,” said Mark MacNish, executive director of the Cutchogue-New Suffolk Historical Council. He added that as a volunteer for the Mattituck-Laurel Historical Society, he can attest that group has also dealt with similar challenges.

Last weekend, Mr. MacNish and the Historical Council held a volunteer recruitment workshop in the community room at Cutchogue New Suffolk Library. Mr. MacNish said last year’s workshop yielded six new volunteers. This year, he said, “doing the same amount of promotion, no one showed up.” But even though he thinks it is getting progressively difficult to attract volunteers, he remains hopeful. “I did have two people contact me to let me know they are interested in volunteering,” Mr. MacNish said. “I hope they pan out.” Interested parties who couldn’t make the workshop can email cutchoguehistory@gmail.com.

The Cutchogue-New Suffolk Historical Council “maintains the Cutchogue Village Green and Old Burying Ground as a living memorial to the original founders and all residents of Cutchogue and New Suffolk,” according to its website. Volunteer opportunities include everything from giving tours of historic buildings as trained docents to working the gift shop and setting up for special events held on the Village Green.

Some organizations are reaching out to the community this week with volunteer appreciation initiatives. The New York Marine Rescue Center in Riverhead took to social media with #VolunteerAppreciationWeek to celebrate the national commemoration. Posts highlight notable participants, such as Rescue Team volunteer Ashley, who has clocked over 2,500 hours working for the organization. 

As the primary responders for sick or injured seals, sea turtles, dolphins, porpoises and other marine mammals, and the only such rehabilitation center in New York State, a strong volunteer base is key. Orientations are held monthly and the application and schedule is available at nymarinerescue.org.

“Through these extraordinary acts of service, volunteers also have the opportunity to engage with new communities and try new things,” President Joe Biden wrote in an April 19 proclamation marking National Volunteer Week, “building professional networks and friendships, learning skills and finding a sense of purpose.”

National volunteer commemorations originally started in Canada as a way to thank community members who stepped up on the home front during World War II. In 1974, the United States implemented National Volunteer Week, and in 1991, President George H.W. Bush declared April National Volunteer Month, an official celebration.

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For 20 years now, Southold Town records management assistant Stacey Norklun has been preserving the past and streamlining the present with a massive digitization project that officials say has revolutionized the work flow in Town Hall.

Beyond digitizing town records, Ms. Norklun is also responsible for Freedom of Information Law requests, keeping the town in line with state document retention and disposal laws and organizing and maintaining an archive of videos of town meetings and hearings.

Town Clerk Denis Noncarrow said in an interview last week that his records management assistant’s contribution to a smoother workflow throughout Town Hall has been “massive.

“This young lady is incredible, just absolutely incredible,” he said of Ms. Norklun. “She just comes in and she puts her head down day after day and sometimes you don’t even notice she’s there, she’s so quiet about her work. But what she’s done to coordinate [record keeping] is absolutely amazing.”

Prior to Ms. Norklun’s arrival, the town’s antiquated paper filing system was slow, laborious and flawed, according to longtime Deputy Town Clerk Lynda Rudder.

Back then, “I spent a lot of time in the basement, pulling folders,” she said. “We do have a list of where things are stored down there, but finding them is a whole different thing. Until Stacey got here. Now you can go over there and ask her for anything and within an hour she’ll bring back the original.

“When you can’t find something, she’s willing to go the extra mile to get it,” Ms. Rudder said. “She comes in early. She leaves late and she’s sometimes here on weekends.”

Nicholas Planamento, a real estate agent and a member of the Southold Town Zoning Board of Appeals, said Ms. Norklun’s work as a pioneer of a paperless future has created a “different world” for anyone dealing with any of the town’s numerous departments.

“Today, almost everything is accessible online on the town website, which is phenomenal — it makes my life so much easier as a real estate agent. But for any town person — just to research anything they might need to know — it’s all accessible, document wise, historically, I have to tell you, and this is a different world.”

Before digitization, Mr. Planamento remembers filling out Freedom on Information Law requests for public records by hand.

“The FOIL form was always filled out manually. So you’d have to, for instance, go to the assessor’s office, fill out a form at the assessor’s office, walk it over to the [town] clerk, and have it stamped that they received the Freedom of Information request. They’d make a copy of it, and then you’d go back to the assessor’s office to get the documents you want. It was just a nightmare of paperwork.”

He said that digitizing public property records streamlined the work of any real estate agent working in Southold.

“When I go on a listing appointment, I can pull up documents instantaneously from Southold to get an overview, a snapshot, of what’s going on with the property before I walk in, which is hugely valuable.”

Mr. Noncarrow said the “boxes from different departments pile up quickly and she doesn’t like to fall behind, so you’ll see her here on a Saturday — just quietly doing her job. She’s just really incredible.”

For the last six to eight months, Ms. Norklun has been invested in a massive project to digitize the town police department’s records.

“They have a storage room that’s three or four filing cabinets tall, and they’ve been shipping them over here in boxes and she’s been scanning them in,” Ms. Rudder said. 

For local history buffs, Ms. Norklun’s most valuable contribution is bringing the history of Southold alive by digitizing and publishing on the Southold Town website a treasure trove of historical documents stretching from the town’s founding in 1640 through World War II.

Among the fascinating records are copies of the original document establishing Southold Town and a mid-17^th century deed book. There’s an “earmark” book from the early 1800s, in which local farmers record the distinctive ‘marks’ they’ve cut into their livestock’s ear to identify them as their property. There is a book of slave manumissions, records of individual owners freeing specific slaves that stretches from 1795 to 1837.

There are Civil War era letters and an 1865 war enlistment book, a 35-page World War I list of local men enlisted in a state militia. The most extensive records digitized are those surrounding World War II, including records from the Shelter Island War Council, aluminum scrap collection memos, air raid alert instructions — including special instructions for doctors making emergency calls at night. 

Mr. Planamento, who said he still recalls the days when requesting documents cost 25 cents a page, said Ms. Norklun’s work is a win-win for the town and the community.

“It’s a savings on paper, on toner on all kinds of other things. And while one might think it’s a cumbersome or an exhaustive or even an expensive task to have somebody dealing with all these things, the management of the records, I think, are paramount to a community.

“Whether it’s a historical record for genealogists, or if you just want to learn more about your individual home, you have everything right there online.

“For Southold, I think we’re light years ahead of other communities.”

 In an interview, Ms. Norklun was humble and unassuming about her work.                      

“I’m a big reader,” she said. “I’ve loved to read my whole life, fiction mostly. But I just love keeping track of what we have, and making sure it’s there for everybody.”

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Several officers of the Suffolk County and New York Police departments are currently searching a heavily wooded area in Manorville.

It is undetermined how long the search will last, but a Riverhead News-Review reporter on the scene spotted multiple police vehicles and K-9 units this afternoon. Patrons at the nearby Maples Bar on Ryerson Avenue said they saw police, state troopers and sheriffs searching around the area on Tuesday as well.

Approximately 15 police vehicles were parked at the Manorville Fire Department Wednesday afternoon, as officials took a break. The search started again around 2 p.m. and officers began canvasing the region south of Schultz Road.

Several area media outlets have reported the search may be in connection with Gilgo Beach homicide investigation.

“The Suffolk County Police Department, the New York Police Department and the New York State Police are working with the District Attorney’s Office on an ongoing investigation,” the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement. “We do not comment on investigative steps while they are underway. We will make further statements when appropriate.”

This is a developing story and will be updated.

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Listings prepared for Times Review Media Group by Suffolk Vision Inc., dated Feb. 23, 2024.

PECONIC (11958)

• B & J Realty to Scott DeSimone, 41045 Route 25 (1000-86-1-3.003) (V) $1,090,000 

RIVERHEAD (11901)

• Riverhead Cement Block Co Inc to Sandy Pond Links LLC, 1521 Roanoke Avenue (600-82-1-12.001) (C) $2,500,000 

• Helene & Susan Wolk to Arthur & Kathleen Pratz, 194 Stoneleigh Drive (600-82.05-3-17) (R) $660,000

• Estate of Dorothy Higgins to Ty River LLC, 19 Tyler Drive (600-64-1-6.076) (R) $532,000

• Florence Lund Family Trust to Paul & Mary Fleig Trust, 89 Saddle Lakes Drive (600-82.02-1-89) (R) $510,000

• Estate of Barbara Ligon to 27 Andrea Court LLC, 27 Andrea Court (600-65-3-34) (R) $400,000

• East Enders Inc to Jeffrey & Michelle Camp, Cross River Drive (600-19-1-19.002) (V) $225,000

• East Enders Inc to Jeffrey & Michelle Camp, Sound Avenue (600-19-1-19.001) (V) $225,000

SHELTER ISLAND (11964)

• Gary Gershon to Joel Ramirez & Karla Oviedo, 1 Lake Drive (700-19-1-89.003) (V) $415,300 

SHELTER ISLAND HEIGHTS (11965)

• Leslie Lawrence to Pamela Lawrence, 19A Rocky Point Terrace (700-13-1-3) (R) $1,662,500 

SOUTHOLD (11971)

• Southview Custom Homes Two Inc to Town of Southold, Main Bayview Road (1000-87-5-21.007) (V) $2,195,000 

• Carol Forestieri Trust to 845 Mill Creek LLC, 845 Mill Creek Drive (1000-135-3-36.001) (R) $1,075,000

• Daniel Sarluca & Lauren Esposito to Fredric Hartman, 950 Paradise Shores Road (1000-80-1-27) (R) $820,000

• Robert & Margaret Williams to Patrick & Mary Thompson, 465 Windjammer Drive (1000-79-4-39) (R) $790,000

WADING RIVER (11792)

• Giuseppe T Rosini (Referee) & Dennis Lynch (Defendant) to US Bank, 112 Fairway Drive (600-58-4-3) (R) $680,819

(Key: Tax map numbers = District-Section-Block-Lot; (A) = agriculture; (R) = residential; (V) = vacant property; (C) = commercial; (R&E) = recreation & entertainment; (CS) = community services; (I) = industrial; (PS) = public service; (P) = park land; as determined from assessed values in the current tax rolls.)

The post Real Estate Transfers: April 25, 2024 appeared first on The Suffolk Times.

All ages

Sunday, April 28, 9 a.m.-noon: SWR 2024 Earth Day Cleanup hosted by Wading River Shoreham Chamber of Commerce. Meet at The Shoppes at East Wind, 5768 Route 25A, Wading River. Gloves and bags provided or bring your own. Rain or shine. Register: wadingrivershorehamchamber.com.

Sunday, April 28, 9-11 a.m.: Earth Day Cleanup sponsored by Riverhead Litter Committee. Meet at Riverhead Town Hall, 4 West Second St., Riverhead. Community service credits available. Registration: deborahjwetzel@gmail.com.

The arts and crafts

Saturday, May 4, 4-6 p.m.: Paint and Sip at Orient Congregational Church, 23045 Main Road, Orient. Supplies and snacks provided. $40. RSVP by April 25 to 347-204-5991.

Fairs and festivals

Saturday and Sunday, April 27 and 28, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.: Annual Spring Show and Flea Market at Long Island Antique Power Association, 5950 Sound Ave. Riverhead. Antique tractor displays, hit and miss engines, tractor pulls, sawmill and blacksmith demonstrations, kid’s corner and train ride. Information: liapa.com.

Monday-Sunday, May 6-12, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.: 28th annual East End Garden Festival at Tanger Outlets, Riverhead. Plant sales and raffles benefiting Peconic Bay Medical Center, Operation International and Riverhead Rotary. Information: 631-727-0176.

Fundraisers

Friday, May 3, 3-8 p.m.: Annual Fundraising Dinner for Stirling Historical Society of Greenport at Townsend Manor Inn and Restaurant, 714 Main St., Greenport. Tickets: $35, includes salad, fried flounder, chicken or pasta primavera, dessert and gratuity. Information and tickets: 631-477-5918, or tickets available at the door or from historical society members and Greenport village trustees.

Saturday and Sunday, May 4 and 5: North Fork Native Plant Sale hosted by Mattituck-Laurel Civic Association and Mattituck-Laurel Historical Society at the historical society Tuthill Home, 18200 Main Road, Mattituck. Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Members-only sale Friday, May 3, 4 to 6 p.m.

Monday, May 6, noon-3 p.m.: Southold Sunshine Society Name Your Game fundraiser at Founders Landing, 1025 Terry Lane, Southold. Bring a group of four and a game to play. Tickets: $20 per person; includes luncheon and raffle ticket. Reservations: Anne Swanson, 631-765-5735. 

Local history

Saturday, April 27, 1 p.m.: Book & Bottle: Carrie’s Letters: A Glimpse into Rural Family Life in Baiting Hollow, 1880-1910 book sale, discussion and signing with author and compiler Debra Warner Anderson at Suffolk County Historical Society Museum, 300 West Main St., Riverhead. Members, free; nonmembers, $8. Includes refreshments. Registration required. 631-727-2881, ext. 100, suffolkcountyhistoricalsociety.org.

Friday, May 3, 11 a.m.: Mattituck-Laurel Historical Society lecture: The Lady Lighthouse Keeper with Mary Korpi at Southold Senior Services, 750 Pacific St., Mattituck. Information: mlhsm11952@gmail.com.

Saturday, May 4, 1 p.m.: Book & Bottle: Sun, Sea, Soil, Wine: Winemaking on the North Fork of Long Island book sale, discussion and signing with author Richard Olsen-Harbich at Suffolk County Historical Society Museum, 300 West Main St., Riverhead. Members, free; nonmembers, $8. Includes refreshments. Registration required. 631-727-2881, ext. 100, suffolkcountyhistoricalsociety.org.

Thursday, May 9, 6 p.m.: Mattituck-Laurel Historical Society lecture: The Lady Lighthouse Keeper presented by Mary Korpi at the Veterans Memorial Park Community Room, 11280 Peconic Bay Blvd., Mattituck. Information: mlhsm11952@gmail.com.

Meetings

Saturday, April 27, 10 a.m.: Southold Peconic Civic Association meeting at Southold Recreation Center, 970 Peconic Lane, Peconic. Meeting will discuss accessory dwelling units with Southold Zoning Board of Appeals chair Leslie Weismann, Southold Town government liaison officer Gwynn Schroeder and Doug Hirst of Long Island Housing Partnership. Information: spcivic.org.

Monday, April 29, 6:30-8:30 p.m.: The Mattituck-Laurel Civic Association April meeting will discuss benefits of North Fork native plants, at Veterans Park, 11280 Peconic Bay Blvd., Mattituck. Information: mattitucklaurelcivic.org.

Tuesday, April 30, 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.: Peconic Amateur Radio Club open house at Custer Institute and Observatory, 1115 Main Bayview Road, Southold. Information: w2amc.org.

Music

Sunday, April 28, 1:30 p.m.: Canta Libre Chamber Ensemble (Sally Shorrock, flute; Bradley Bosenbeck, violin; Veronica Salas, viola; Bernard Tamosaitis, cello; and Karen Lindquist, harp) concert at Riverhead Free Library. Free, registration required: riverheadlibrary.org.

Saturday, May 4, 2-3:15 p.m.: The Yale Whiffenpoofs a cappella group perform at the Center for Advocacy, Support and Transformation , 53930 Main Road, Southold. Tickets: VIP, $75; general admission, $60; standing room, $15. whiffenpoofs.givesmart.com.

Saturday, May 4, 7:30 p.m.: Concert: Pianist Magdalena Baczewska at Jamesport Meeting House, 1590 Main Road, Jamesport. Tickets: $20. jamesportmeetinghouse.org.

Sunday, May 5, 5 p.m.: Sounds of Images III with artist Anne Sherwood Pundyk and cellist and multimedia instrumentalist Robert Mariel at East End Arts Gallery, 11 West Main St., Riverhead. Tickets: $25, Rites of Spring and East End Arts members; $50, nonmembers; under 25, free. Information: ritesmusic.org.

The natural world

Friday, April 26, 4 p.m.: A Nature’s Journal with John Holzapfel at Peconic Landing Auditorium, 1500 Brecknock Road, Greenport. Monthly series with photos and discussion of the latest happenings in nature. Free. Register: peconiclanding.org.

Saturday, May 11, 10-11:30 a.m.: Native Trees of the East End walking tour led by Mary Laura Lamont at Hallockville Museum Farm, 6038 Sound Ave., Riverhead. Members, free; nonmembers, $10. Register: hallockville.org.

Sports and recreation

Sunday, April 28, 10 a.m.: 2024 North Fork Environmental Council Earth Day 5K at Indian Island County Park, 105 Cross River Drive, Riverhead. Registration: individuals, $30; family of four (two adults and two children), $70; under 16, $15. nfec1.org.

Theatre

Friday and Saturday, May 10-11, 7:30 p.m.: Riverhead Faculty and Community Theatre presents Fractured Broadway 3: The Audience Strikes Back with Dan Grable on piano at North Shore United Methodist Church, 260 Route 25A, Wading River. Tickets: adults, $20; students, $15. Reservations: 631-929-6075, nsumc@optonline.net.

Volunteer

Saturday, April 27, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.: Volunteer Orientation at Hallockville Museum Farm, 6038 Sound Ave., Riverhead. Learn about volunteer opportunities with museum farm’s garden, special events, tours and other activities. Register: asstdirector@hallockville.org. 

Ongoing events

Fridays and Sundays: Roller skating at Greenport American Legion, 102 Third St. All-ages All Skate: Fridays, 3-9-p.m. and Sundays, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Admission: $10, includes skates; $5, spectators. greenportamericanlegion.org. 

Wednesdays, 5-9 p.m.: Adult skate for ages 18 and up at Greenport American Legion, 102 Third St. Admission: $10, includes skates; $5, spectators. greenportamericanlegion.org. 

Tuesdays, noon-3:30 p.m.: Bingo at Southold American Legion, 51655 Main Road. 631-765-2276.

Saturdays, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.: Docent-led tours at Hallockville Museum Farm, 6038 Sound Ave., Riverhead. Tickets: $15, adults; $10, seniors and children. 631-298-5292, hallockville.org.

Saturdays, 7 p.m.-midnight: Stargazing at Custer Observatory, 1115 Main Bayview Road, Southold, weather permitting. Suggested donation: adults, $5; under 12, $3. 631-765-2626, custerobservatory.org.

Saturdays and Sundays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.: Blacksmithing demonstrations with Tom Barry at Village Blacksmith Shop, 101 Front St., Greenport. 631-477-2100, eastendseaport.org.

Exhibitions

Through April: Looking Forward, art exhibit by The Visage Group — North Fork-based artists Delia Reiss, Gerard Lehner, and Virginia Cava — at Mattituck-Laurel Library. Information: 631-298-4134.

Through April: Creative Mixed Media Pieces, work by Southold High School students, on display at Southold Free Library. Information: southoldlibrary.org.

Through May 5: Beauty Out of Bounds, a solo exhibition with Anne Sherwood Pundyk, at East End Arts’ Main Gallery, 133 East Main St. Information: eastendarts.org.

Saturdays and Sundays through May 6: Missing Pieces, work by Kaitlin Beebe, Louise Eastman, Sabrina Montella, Cathleen Ficht and Sherry Davis at Vine + Sand, 47100 Main Road, Southold. Noon-6 p.m.; other times available by appointment. 631-620-9253.

Through May 12: Heritage and Home: Latin American Artists of the East End at Floyd Memorial Library, Greenport. Information: floydmemoriallibrary.org.

Through October: A Sportsman’s Paradise: Man and Nature in Suffolk County’s Past at Suffolk County Historical Society Museum, 300 West Main St., Riverhead. Assortment of hunting equipment, hand-carved decoys, duck boats, fishing gear, themed toys, clothing, magazines and more. 631-727-2881, suffolkcountyhistoricalsociety.org.

Wednesdays-Saturdays, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.: Suffolk County: A Timeline Experience at Suffolk County Historical Society Museum, 300 West Main St., Riverhead. Interactive exhibit of artifacts, documents, photos and digital experiences provides a comprehensive timeline of Suffolk County history. 631-727-2881, suffolkcountyhistoricalsociety.org.

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Here are the headlines for April 25, 2024.

THE SUFFOLK TIMES

New beach pavilion in works at Mattituck’s Veterans Memorial Park

Community calendar: April 25, 2024

SHELTER ISLAND REPORTER

Summer events on Shelter Island: 10K expected to step off June 15

RIVERHEAD NEWS-REVIEW

Riverhead Board of Education president Colin Palmer not running for reelection in May

Rare songbird draws ‘bird paparazzi’ to Flanders home

NORTHFORKER

Weekend Update: Taylor Swift dance party, learn to plant wildflowers and more

SOUTHFORKER

South Fork Dream Home: a storybook stunner in Southampton

The daily update is a briefing on what’s happening across the North Fork and Shelter Island.

​Get the daily update delivered straight to your inbox every weekday by subscribing to our newsletter.

The post Daily Update: New beach pavilion in works at Mattituck’s Veterans Memorial Park appeared first on The Suffolk Times.

Mattituck Park District will be demolishing the lifeguard shed at Veterans Memorial Park and hopes to construct a new pavilion in its place by the fall this year.

Kevin Byrne, the park district chair, said they elected to remove the building because it’s “essentially an eyesore.

“The existing structure has long outlived its usefulness,” Mr. Byrne said. “It has decay, it has no functioning utilities, it has a lot of rot and it’s just not a salvageable building.”

The park district is accepting bids for the demolition. Sealed bids will be received by the district clerk at Veterans Memorial Park (11280 Peconic Bay Blvd.) in Mattituck. The deadline for bids closes April 24. At press time, Mr. Byrne said nine bids had been submitted.

The first phase of the plan is to demolish the building. The second phase would be to erect a pavilion in its stead and the third part of the plan is to put solar panels on the new pavilion, “which will generate enough electricity to totally power the park without using any energy from the grid,” Mr. Byrne said.

“We’re getting a lot of interest from a lot of local contractors, which is what we want,” Mr. Byrne said. “We prefer, whenever we can, to give our business and revenues to local merchants and businesses.”

The project is estimated to cost around $120,000 and the park district hopes to have it completed by the fall, Mr. Byrne said. They have allocated the money for the project from their general funds.

“We had very significant budget problems several years ago, which we rectified with a very significant tax increase,” Mr. Byrne said. “Since then we’ve been able to balance our budget, balance our books and start to reinvest in the facilities and not just general repairs and maintenance, but actual upgrades and modernizations and planning for the future of the property.”

The park district looked into “several alternatives and options for trying to salvage the building,” Mr. Byrne said, noting that at one point a long time ago, the structure was “sort of a concession building.”

”We looked at trying to renovate it and try and do something similar to that, but the cost to renovate it versus the revenues and other things that it might generate were way, way out of proportion,” Mr. Byrne said. “There was no business model that we could come up with, for a concessionaire to go in there and use the building, unless we put really more than hundreds of thousands of dollars into the building. The structure was basically useless at this point.”

Mr. Byrne said the community feedback on the decision has been “very positive,” though “admittedly there’s a lot of nostalgia surrounding that building and it would have been nice if we could have preserved it, repaired it or done something with it.”

The Mattituck Park District will be announcing progress on the project at every meeting, which happen on the first and third Thursday of every month at Veterans Memorial Park. They will also include status updates on the project in their quarterly distributed newsletter, and make announcements during their popular summer concert and movie series this summer.

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It is with great sorrow that Marjory (Moffat) Stevens of Southold and Al and Janice Moffat of Mooresville, N.C. announce the peaceful passing of their sister Jean (Moffat) Bearak on April 6, 2024 at her home in Hempstead, N.Y.

She was born Feb. 9, 1946 at ELIH to Evelyn (Hallock) and William Moffat and grew up in Southold.

Jean was predeceased by her husband Stephen. She is survived by their son Robert (Jen Coleman) of Portland, Ore.; Steve’s sons Corey (Shelley) Bearak of Bellerose and Richard (Adrianne Wallace) Bearak of Brooklyn; and five grandchildren.

Her family and her church family were her main focus after her retirement. There will be a memorial service for Jean on June 29 at the United Methodist Church of Hempstead. Memorial donations and condolences may be mailed to the church at 40 Washington St, Hempstead, N.Y. 11550.

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Constance M. “Connie” Moisa, lifelong Mattituck resident, passed away on Thursday, April 18, 2024. She was 99 years old.

Connie was born on June 7, 1924 in Greenport to Anna and Maurice Hansen. She was an only child. She was a stay at home mom and bookkeeper. She was also a member of Our Lady of Good Counsel R.C. Church.

Predeceased by her husband Joseph; Connie is survived by her son Joseph Moisa Jr. (Catherine); grandchildren Heather Moisa, Casey Moisa, David Moisa and Joseph Moisa III; and seven great-grandchildren.

The family received friends on Monday, April 22 at the DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Mattituck. Funeral Services were held on Tuesday, April 23 at the funeral home.

Interment followed at Sacred Heart R.C. Cemetery in Cutchogue.

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Peconic resident Peter I. Aebisher, formerly of Huntington, died April 23, 2024 at Eastern Long Island Hospital. He was 82.

Born April 6, 1942 in Huntington, he was the son of Alfred and Clara (Ilias) Aebisher. Mr. Aebisher graduated Huntington High School and married Millie (Nilsen) and worked as a property manager for Lighthouse Realty. Family said he enjoyed the outdoors and a good sunset.

Predeceased by his wife Millie in 2018, Mr. Aebiser is survived by his son Davin (Erin) of Huntington; sisters Clara MacDougal of Colo., Jean Ecklund of Northport and Barbara Lakatos of Ariz.; and grandchildren Grayden, Griffin and Holden.

The funeral service will be private. Coster-Heppner Funeral Home is serving the family.

This is a paid post.

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Girls lacrosse

April 20: Mattituck/Greenport/Southold 17, Deer Park 3

For the second successive game, senior Sofia Knudsen scored four goals to power the Tuckers (6-5, 4-5) to their largest margin of victory of the season against the Falcons (2-8, 2-7). She also contributed two assists. Sophomores Gianna Calise and Page Kellershon added two goals and two assists apiece. Sophomores Grace Quinn and Olivia Zehill also scored two goals each. Seniors Allison Heidtmann, Jashlin Castaneda and Amelia Harmon, and freshmen Sadie Corrigan and McKenna Reese had single tallies. Senior goaltender Aiko Fujita made five saves.

Knudsen’s four goals led Mattituck, which snapped a four-game losing streak in an 11-5 victory at West Babylon (4-6, 3-5) April 18. Calise added a hat-trick, Quinn contributed two goals and Kellershon and Zehill scored a goal apiece. Fujita recorded four saves.

The Tuckers will play their final away match of the season at Glenn on Friday, April 26, at 4:30 p.m., before starting a four-game homestand against Hampton Bays on Monday, April 29, at 4 p.m.

Boys lacrosse

April 19: Westhampton 11, Mattituck/Greenport/Southold 3

Sophomore goalie Andrew McKenzie made 15 saves in the Tuckers’ home loss. Junior attacks Justin Fox and Shane Psaltis and freshman midfielder Rafa Finnerty scored for Mattituck (1-9, 1-7), and senior midfielder Alex Clark assisted on a goal in the Division II encounter. Heath Sumwalt paced the Hurricanes (7-4, 6-3) with four goals and two assists and Will Drake added three goals and two assists.

Mattituck grabbed a 4-0 first-quarter advantage, but West Babylon (2-7, 2-7) rallied to record a 10-7 win on April 17. Luke Barrera, who scored the go-ahead goal with 3:15 remaining in the match, led the Eagles with four goals and two assists. Fox paced the Tuckers with three goals and an assist. Psaltis registered two goals and one assist and Clark and junior attack Tate Foster also found the net. McKenzie, who produced 12 stops, also had an assist.

In a rematch of last year’s Class D championship game, the Tuckers visit Babylon Thursday, April 25, at 5 p.m. before playing at Bellport Monday, April 29, at 4:30 p.m. Mattituck will host Eastport/South Manor Wednesday, May 1, at 4:30 p.m.

Baseball

April 19: Pierson 4, Southold 1

The Settlers were on the wrong end of a four game sweep against Pierson last week following the rain delayed finale on a cold, windy Friday afternoon. Both teams were held scoreless through the first five innings before Pierson broke through with two runs in the sixth. Southold got on the board in the bottom half on a sac fly but Pierson pulled away with two more in the final frame. Settlers starter Noah Riddel delivered 6-plus quality innings in the defeat. “He had a  really good game,” head coach head coach Greg Tully said. 

April 22: Mattituck 8, John Glenn 7

In a dramatic finish, James Reidy hit a walk-off single with the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth inning for the Tuckers (2-9, 1-9) against the Knights (0-10, 0-9) in League VII action. Starting right-hander Tyler Brown, who struck out eight batters in four innings, hit a home run and drove in two runs. Dylan Spooner added two hits and an RBI. Sean Murphy earned the win in relief. Shoreham-Wading River (9-3, 9-3) completed a three-game sweep against Mattituck on April 18, winning, 10-0. Gordon Votruba went 3-for-3 with a home run and six RBIs for the Wildcats (10-3, 10-3).

Mattituck closes out the Glenn series at home Thursday, April 25, at 4:30 p.m.

The post North Fork high school sports roundup: April 25, 2024 appeared first on The Suffolk Times.

Here are the headlines for April 26, 2024.

THE SUFFOLK TIMES

Southold’s first solid waste coordinator retires after 34 years

North Fork high school sports roundup: April 25, 2024

RIVERHEAD NEWS-REVIEW

Last call for good eggs: national volunteer month wraps soon

Riverhead and SWR high school sports roundup: April 25, 2024

SHELTER ISLAND REPORTER

Shelter Island Bucks need 14 more beds:The team’s future is at stake

NORTHFORKER

North Fork Dream Home: Airy, authentic and oh-so adorable

SOUTHFORKER

South Fork Dream Home: a storybook stunner in Southampton

The daily update is a briefing on what’s happening across the North Fork and Shelter Island.

​Get the daily update delivered straight to your inbox every weekday by subscribing to our newsletter.

The post Daily Update: Head of waste management retires after 34 years appeared first on The Suffolk Times.

Controversy ensued in 1990 when the Southold Town Board appointed Jim Bunchuck — an environmental engineering consultant with a Master’s degree in International Relations — to manage the garbage dump. 

“There were people, town employees, who didn’t really think an engineer and a professional, technical person like Jim would ever survive in that job,” said Tom Wickham, a former Town Supervisor who served on the Town Board in 1990. “People told me, ‘This is a job for machine operators. Why do we need an office and a guy who comes from the city?’ … I’ll never forget someone saying ‘Jim Bunchuck won’t even last two months in this job.’”

Four decades ago, national and state-level regulations forced local municipalities, including Southold, to revolutionize how they disposed of solid waste. Town employees and residents were accustomed to the days of the highway department intermittently covering the town’s massive, unlined pile of refuse with sand. But the board knew it had to close this dump and believed Mr. Bunchuck — Southold’s first-ever solid waste coordinator who retired on April 18 — had the experience needed to usher the town into a more environmentally conscious era of waste management.

Mr. Bunchuck described his overarching responsibility throughout the decades as “the implementation, and in some cases, design” of Southold’s “integrated solid waste management system, which is a combination of aggressive recycling, reuse when possible, waste reduction, and finally — the last in the hierarchy — disposal.”

As a department head, he also managed waste district employees, reviewed waste-related bids and contracts and ensured his facility and the town at large kept up with local and national waste management standards.

In stark contrast to his initial reception, Mr. Bunchuck, 66, of Greenport, was hardly pushed out the door when he applied for retirement last year. Former Town Supervisor Scott Russell said he practically “begged” Mr. Bunchuck to delay his retirement for several months so he could help mentor both of their replacements. Mr. Bunchuck obliged, and during the final months of his tenure, he renewed some of the town’s waste management contracts and trained Nick Krupski, who the Town Board recently hired as the new provisional solid waste coordinator.

“Jim Bunchuck is without a doubt one of the finest people that has served the people of Southold Town,” Mr. Russell said in a telephone interview. “He’s deeply committed to his position. He’s made sacrifices over the years to do the best job he could on behalf of the taxpayers. He’s going to be a big loss for the town, but an excellent mentor to Nick [Krupski].”

After moving from Nassau County to the North Fork at age 10 and graduating Southold High School in 1975, Mr. Bunchuck studied political science and government at Rochester’s ​​St. John Fisher University. He worked for various consulting firms in support of Environmental Protection Agency programs in the D.C. area for more than a decade. During this time, he earned his Master’s degree at American University, intending to pursue a career in diplomacy.

He relocated from D.C. to Greenport in 1989, but was still commuting to New York City for work. After about a year of riding the train, a new opportunity much closer to home presented itself.

“My wife called me one day at work and said ‘the Town of Southold is looking for an environmental planner,’” Mr. Bunchuck recalled. “I didn’t know it meant running the dump until I got to the interview … It worked out for me. They thought I fit the bill and here I am.”

In 1993, Mr. Bunchuck helped Southold close its landfill and establish a solid waste district as per New York State Department of Environmental Conservation guidelines. One of his first orders of business was spearheading the yellow bag “pay as you go” system residents use to dispose of their refuse to this day. The bag fees fund the solid waste district, a special tax district, and incentivize — and potentiallly popularize — recycling. 

“People didn’t really want to pay to get rid of their garbage when they formerly dumped it in the dump for free, but the Town Board backed Jim in this plan,” Mr. Wickham said. “Over a period of months, and then years, Jim overcame a lot of the speculation and reservations that other [residents] and people in town government had about this new direction for handling solid waste. The yellow bag system has never been really popular, but people have come to accept it as a fair way to handle solid waste.”

By the mid-2000s, the town capped the landfill and built the indoor transfer station Mr. Bunchuck managed. The facility accepts household and commercial garbage just like the dump did before his tenure, as well as recyclables. Mr. Bunchuck also helped institute a yard waste composting program at a new 17-acre facility within the waste district. Residents drop off their yard waste, and in return can take home up to 500 pounds of either organic compost they can mix with soil or decorative, weed blocking woodchip mulch for free.

“Jim is a dedicated public servant and he’s always been good to work with,” said Town Supervisor Al Krupski, who knew Mr. Bunchuck from his time as a Town Board member back in the 2000s. “Besides all of the recycling challenges that we’ve had and that he’s done well with, I think the biggest thing is the compost operation that he helped develop and run. He really was a big part of making that a successful operation and reusing our yard waste. It’s acres and acres of mountains of brush, it’s ground up and ground up … and made into compost that’s a very good product.”

Even in his final few years on the job, Mr. Bunchuck sought new ways to pull whatever he could out of the town’s waste stream. In 2021, he forged a new arrangement with Mattituck Environmental, a waste management service in Cutchogue, to sort through construction and demolition materials — including appliances, furniture and scrapable metals ripped from houses — which Southold’s contractors and do-it-yourselfers drop off at the town’s transfer station right next door.

“Previously our C&D just went directly to [the Brookhaven Town landfill] and got buried, now it goes to Mattituck,” Mr. Bunchuck explained. “They have a sorting facility there, so they’ll pull out anything of value that they can.”

Despite his best efforts, Mr. Bunchuck could not pull food scraps out of Southold’s waste stream. In 2020, he helped coordinate a 30-day food scrap composting program developed by the Drawdown East End group, which saw a handful of residents save food scraps, transport them for weighing at the town’s transfer station and send them to Treiber Farms in Peconic to be safely composted. A longer-term plan for food, Mr. Bunchuck explained, is much more involved.

“That’s the biggest thing left in the waste stream that does not have to be thrown out if you could get it to people who need it or compost it, or if it can’t be sent to a food bank,” he said. “We would need approval and a phased-in approach that needs to be written up by an engineer and shown to the state …if we were to try to add anything to our existing composting operation.”

Nick Krupski said he may reach out to Mr. Bunchuck on an “as-needed basis” for some assistance as he tackles several initiatives and encounters other opportunities. On Tuesday, the Town Board voted to execute a consulting agreement with Mr. Bunchuck that will permit him to help his successor up to 17.5 hours each month over the next six months.

“You don’t know what you don’t know until it comes along,” Nick Krupski explained. “There’s so much business going on down there that every day is a little different. There’s the daily business, the contracts over multiple years … Just as things come up, if I have questions, I want to be able to call Jim.”

When asked what he is most proud of after 34 years dedicated to the town and its residents, Mr. Bunchuck could not point to a singular accomplishment, but rather to his overall mission to serve Southold Town, its residents and its environment.

“When I started, we were still burying garbage in a hole in the ground,” he said. “As archaic as that seems now, that was normal at the time. Now we realize the damage that can cause. I’m kind of proud that I could be instrumental in ending very poor and environmentally risky waste handling practices.”

The post Southold’s first solid waste coordinator retires after 34 years appeared first on The Suffolk Times.

A Greenport official contacted Southold police April 15 to report multiple subjects drinking and hanging out in the area of the Adams Street parking lot. An officer responded and told them to leave. On that same day, an officer observed a group of men congregating in same area. Carlos Hernandez, 30, was holding an open bottle of tequila and was issued a village appearance ticket.

• On April 16, a Greenport Village official reported to Southold that a village resident was upset about a homeless encampment on Monsell Trail, saying he would respond to the location himself and take down the encampment if the village did not take action. The official told the resident he could not do that. An officer responded and found the resident picking up garbage in the area. The resident told police that the village had not made any progress on this issue but would in the future.

• On April 17, the Greenport Fire Department was called to a fire on Sutton Place, where a shed was on fire. The fire was extinguished.

• On April 18, a woman reported that after using her debit card at a Greenport Village business, she was notified by her bank of possible fraud on her account. Since visiting that business, the woman said, she observed numerous unauthorized Amazon transactions, including $612.17 taken from her account by an unknown subject. She also observed $683.20 in transactions to Foot Locker that had been flagged and canceled by her bank.

• Robert Gongolewski of Setauket, 48, was seen by an officer driving a motorcycle at high rate of speed westbound on Route 48 in Mattituck. He was stopped and found to have an outstanding warrant from Suffolk County police. He was placed under arrest and transported to the county police Sixth Precinct.

Those who are named in police reports have not been convicted of any crime or violation. The charges against them may later be reduced or withdrawn, or they may be found innocent.

The post Blotter: Speeding motorcyclist arrested on warrant appeared first on The Suffolk Times.

SOUTHOLD

Hotels are not the problem

Farm stands create traffic jams, not hotels! We promote tourism and when they come they are not allowed on our beaches and they have no place to sleep. Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against farmers or tourists, but to deny a businessperson their right to pursue their dream that’s within the local laws and guidelines, is absurd. In my 60-plus years in Southold, I cannot think of one highly controversial project that, when allowed to be completed, did not benefit us. In fact, traveling our roads, and especially Route 25, is far more aesthetically pleasing than it was 60 years ago. A healthy business environment is essential to Southold’s future. 

Robert Guarriello 

JAMESPORT

Thank you!

We wanted to share that “New Views for Old Pews,” the collaborative art auction to benefit the Center for Advocacy, Support & Transformation and North Fork Contemporary, was a resounding success! A little background: Sixteen pews that had outlived their usefulness in the former 19th Century Southold Church that CAST now calls home were offered to selected artists, artisans, and craftspersons to be creatively transformed into objects better suited to their new roles in the community. These newly transformed pews were auctioned last Saturday night and the event raised well over $10,000 for the two collaborating not-for-profit organizations.

Our sincere gratitude goes out to the artists for all their hard work. Generous financial support for the project came from North Fork Side by Side, Peconic Green Growth and private contributors. 

Sean Elwood

RIVERHEAD

The Golden Rule should guide us

Please send sincere congratulation to the citizen who wrote recently for a meaningful, fact-filled letter about the coming election. I have been composing the very same sentiments for the last few weeks as I get more angry and stressed by what this unhinged former president has done to this country. I see and hear hatred, un-American activities, the trial of the century revelations and a general sense of dread everywhere I go and every news report I see. It is unbelievable to this senior citizen, born during World War II, to have a replay of those horrific events.

As a retired history teacher, grandmother and proud citizen of America, I hope all your readers examine their consciences, consider the consequences of four more years of drama, trauma, dysfunction, allegiances with dictators like Putin, [and] lies and attacks on just about every minority residing here. America First, America White, America Christian is history that failed.

My and my husband’s Irish immigrant parents and grandparents, as well as every other ethnic group, contributed greatly to this wonderful melting pot of ideas, writings, inventions, customs that we can all embrace. I had wished we all moved from the ”Irish need not apply” signs and welcome new immigrants in an enlightened era.

As for the Latino ambitious workers who keep my condo in beautiful condition, working long hours for little pay, I say thank you and welcome you if you obey the rules for entry and teach us all the value of hard work leading to citizenship. The Golden Rule of do unto others as you would have them do unto you is basic humanity.

Elizabeth Weiss

CUTCHOGUE

Town Board: Please let us speak 

Developers have their sights set on several parcels (including one on bucolic Oregon Road) on the North Fork for development of battery energy storage systems (BESS). Today, these projects rely on lithium ion battery technology, which we know is not reliable or safe. When fires erupt — there were three in N.Y. State last summer — they require evacuation due to toxic fume emissions and possible groundwater contamination, not to mention how they endanger our firefighters. Also, these projects are not “green” since at the moment we don’t have green energy to store. 

It was great news that the Town Board approved a 12-month extension of the BESS moratorium, now set to expire next spring. And thank you to the BESS Task Force for its work this year learning more about these systems. However, it has been disheartening, as I have expressed in this paper before, that the task force primarily invited “experts” to present who are invested in the BESS industry while never offering “stakeholders” — meaning everyone in Southold Town — the opportunity to address it. Now it seems the task force is preparing to issue their report without our input. How can their report be complete without the input from those who will be directly affected by these projects?

Supervisor Krupski has promised that the public will have a chance to present our concerns, but time is of the essence. We want this opportunity before the Town Board puts pen to paper drafting code to address these projects. So please, schedule a hearing on proposed BESS projects in the very near future. 1,300 people signed a petition demanding the moratorium in the first place. We have a lot to say and it’s the board’s obligation to give us an opportunity to speak and, more importantly, to address our concerns.

Alexandra O’Mara

CUTCHOGUE

He was wrong on student loan forgiveness 

I’m sorry, Mr. Gismondi, that at 63, you are so angry at people who have taken a different path than you did. I’m 74 and I know that that much anger hurts you, not the people you resent. My wish, as I approach the exit ramp of life, is to hope later generations will have a better quality of life — and if forgiving student loans helps, I applaud it. I’m appreciative of the teachers who taught me, my children and grandchildren. I’m appreciative of government employees who deliver mail, and keep our environment somewhat safe. What I’m trying to say is that it is much easier on my wellbeing to embrace a positive outlook. I’ve been called a Pollyanna, That’s OK. The glass is half full and it’s clean water.

Rosellen Storm

ORIENT

Yes, vote wisely in November

I am moved to respond to Stephen Tettelbach’s opinion, advising us all to “Vote wisely in November.” I see Mr. Tettelbach has indeed drunk from the “Anti-Trump Kool-Aid,” stating that Republicans feel Trump has been appointed by God to do great things. Sorry to break it to you, Mr. Tettelbach: Only God can do great things. Let’s not talk about lies, narcissism, nepotism and greed. I’m afraid our current president has a large share in all of the above; however, you apparently have chosen to close your eyes to it.

This president has opened up our borders in a way our country has never seen! The amount of illegal immigrants entering our country is absolutely unfathomable! Who are these people? Does anyone know where they have gone? We are spending millions of dollars feeding and housing them, and yet they have the audacity to complain about their accommodations and the taste of the food! Please, Mr. Tettelbach, do not jump on the uniformed bandwagon, talking about “Trump’s lackeys,” saying that President Biden was “ready to sign into law a plan to deal with immigration much more effectively.” Why wasn’t that done from the get-go? I’m sure you are aware that on the very first day of his presidency, Mr. Biden reversed President Trump’s border wall initiative along our southern border. All President Biden has to do is simply sign an Executive Order closing the border; it’s that simple. But making former president Trump the scapegoat is always a better option for this administration. 

Regarding the economy, apparently the president has not been to the grocery store lately. Paying $7 for a pound of ground beef and $3.59 for a gallon of gas? So, yes; I too advise everyone to vote wisely in November

Karen Gerrity

SOUTHOLD

Our democracy is imperiled

I am a “baby boomer” and proud New Yorker. In my lifetime, I have seen many phenomenal, historic events: man walking on the moon, the best popular music of all time (’60s music is still ubiquitous in commercials), the ’69 Mets, Jets, and Knicks winning championships, Woodstock, muscle cars, and the gaining and taking away of fundamental human rights. 

Like every other human under God, I have sinned and have my shortcomings. In my later years, I try to be fair and sensible, leading to a progressive lifestyle. No one is perfect, but we all have equal rights. The Republican Party has been an insidious, fearful and forceful player in exploiting unforeseeable flaws in the U.S. Constitution to benefit their unpopular agenda. The MAGA candidate for president in 2024 has said that he wants to do away with the Constitution and be a dictator on day one of his presidency. That phenomenal and historic event is one that I do not wish to experience. 

Ari Berman recently published an article in Mother Jones (May-June 2024, “The Democracy Bomb”) that lays out the frightening course of events that has led to our current exposure to class warfare. 

Berman makes a succinct case for how autocracy is inevitable, unless the unafraid and reasonable majority in our nation enacts a sea change through a historic vote against a party whose candidate has been accused of fraud and sexual assault while under indictment for electoral fraud and trying to overturn a free and fair election. I put my personal beliefs and my extremely successful country over any political party affiliation, and certainly over any accused criminal. 

I urge all voters to read Berman’s article, which attempts to shine a light on the perils our democracy faces. And it is my belief that the democracy I have lived under for so many years is far superior to any dictatorship or autocracy awaiting to change history for the worse. 

Peter Meeker

CUTCHOGUE

The debt is a problem

I’m writing in response to Jackie MacLeod’s April 11 Letter to the Editor. I’d ask that she please contact Bank of New York Mellon, and explain to them that the burden of my mortgage is insurmountable due to the exorbitant interest rate and that, since I’m Catholic, it would resonate with the principles of Christianity to forgive the loan. I’ll even switch religions if the bank would buy into the Islam or Judaism argument. I’d even be happy with her explaining to them that, as an adult, I can vote, serve in the military, buy alcohol, buy drugs (now legally), but for some reason I couldn’t understand the debt I was incurring when I borrowed the money.

Tom McKeon

CUTCHOGUE

We must draw the line

Fiction is spreading faster then fact in today’s America. Why? Simply put, a lack of leadership, everywhere! Hateful speech accepted on the college campus. A president who tries to thread the needle between all sides. A Congress more interested in party than country. Education is meant to teach us how to discern right from wrong. Doing the right thing is always best. How do you know if it’s right? Listen to your heart, understand your values. “Death to America” is not free speech; it is hateful speech. It should not be tolerated. No one, not one person in this country, should feel unsafe. 

If we are to remain America and continue to grow, our leaders must lead and not continue to be ambiguous. The wishy-washy just does not cut it. It is time to draw the line.

Robert Bittner

The post Letters to the editor: Hotels are not the problem appeared first on The Suffolk Times.

On Saturday, scores of Republican members of the House of Representatives stared down the pro-Russian wing of their party and voted, along with Democrats, to send billions more dollars in critically needed military aid to Ukraine.

1st District Rep. Nick LaLota (R-Amityville) voted “yes” on funding Ukraine’s effort to push Russian forces out of the country. He did the right thing at the right moment in history. His vote will be remembered.

By doing so, Mr. LaLota separated himself from dozens of House Republicans who spout pro-Putin talking points and don’t care about Ukraine’s fate. “A vote in favor of peace through strength should come naturally,” Mr. LaLota said Monday in an email to this newspaper..

After months of turmoil in the House over aid to Ukraine, the tide turned abruptly with Saturday’s vote. A number of news outlets reported that Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson received a briefing from CIA director Bill Burns about Ukraine’s dire situation and the consequences of America turning its back on that country and allowing Russia to continue to destroy it.

As one news outlet reported: “The briefing left a lasting impression, and Johnson became increasingly convinced the fate of Western democracy was on his shoulders, sources close to him said.” Another factor that sources say weighed heavily on his decision-making: Johnson’s oldest son was recently accepted into the Naval Academy.

“To put it bluntly, I would rather send bullets to Ukraine than American boys. My son is going to begin in the Naval Academy this fall. This is a live-fire exercise for me as it is for so many American families,” Mr. Johnson told reporters. “This is not a game; this is not a joke.”

The outcome would likely have been different if Mr. Johnson had not been chosen as speaker after a chaotic selection process. A candidate considered before him, Republican Jim Jordan of Ohio, voted no on aid to Ukraine.

Mr. LaLota has watched all this transpire, and when the moment arrived to make a critical vote, he came down on the side of democracy in Ukraine. This is one of those votes many Americans won’t forget. Mr. LaLota came down on the right side.

In his email, he wrote: “The bills we passed on Saturday will help replenish American stockpiles, counter China’s aggression, defeat Putin’s Russia, and support our ally Israel. As a Navy veteran who has served on three overseas deployments, I will always prefer sending bombs and bullets to our allies to defeat a common adversary if it means not having to put American soldiers in harm’s way … Evil must be dealt with head-on.”

He wrote further: “Like Churchill, I understand that peace is achieved through strength. I am a Reagan Republican, and I believe in the principle of peace through strength. My commitment to these principles extends beyond politics; my wife and I named our second daughter Reagan.

“My dedication to our nation’s security is deeply personal. My brother is a Marine Corps sniper who earned a Bronze Star in Iraq. His service, along with mine, underscores the importance of a strong national defense.”

Like Mr. LaLota’s advocacy for turning Plum Island into a national monument, and his vote to help Ukraine defend itself against Russian aggression, are in this community’s — and this country’s — best interests.

The post Editorial: Rep. Nick LaLota split from the pack to vote for Ukraine appeared first on The Suffolk Times.

Litter picked up from local beaches and transferred to a local classroom has been transformed into art and a significant learning experience.

Students at the Peconic Community School in Cutchogue, working with Cindy Pease Roe of UpSculpt in Greenport, created a 6×4-foot whale sculpture made of marine debris, including bottle caps, tennis balls, fishing gear, sneakers, washed up bits of indecipherable plastic and discarded rope.  

The litter art project is similar to one first completed in 2017. After years of wear and tear, school co-director Liz Casey decided to reboot it.

“We’ve been doing beach cleanups and using the garbage we collected,” Ms. Casey said. “Cindy reconstructed the steel frame. When the kids saw her videos of other sea creatures she created, there were lots of “ohs and ahs.”

The latest iteration of the “whale tail” debuted at the school’s Maker Fair on April 13.

“It’s all plastic,” said 10-year-old Nova Fernqvist of Aquebogue. “It’s like an example of saving the environment in a beautiful way. It’s really disappointing that humans litter.”

Her friend and fellow fourth grader Beatrice Ballve of Orient agreed. “It’s really sad that animals are getting hurt and we’re ignoring the problem,” she said.

About 95 students, ages 3 through 14, had a hand in the project. Each child chose a piece of plastic from a giant pile of beach littler from the school’s community room — weathered sand toys, sandcastle making tools and battered buoys — to attach to the tail’s frame. 

“The kids are excited. They know the project is meaningful because we’re surrounded by water here and this is helping the earth,” Ms. Casey said.

Turning litter into art is Ms. Roe’s passion. The artistic director and founder of UpSculpt started picking up beach trash in 2013.

“The ocean is not a waste management system,” Ms. Roe said. “Don’t be afraid to clean up after someone else. It’s a great family activity to be outside, taking garbage out of the marine ecosystem.”

She believes that in the last 10 years, people are much more aware of the issues citing the number of volunteers who turn up for beach cleanups. “And for this project, kids are using their hands to create art,” she said. “We’re transforming something of no value into something that is valuable.”

The goal is that art can really tell a story and bring a community together.

Adelaide LeFort, 10, of Riverhead said it’s disheartening to see so many people throw things on the beach. “I feel sad for the animals that they are getting stuck in this junk,” she said.

Orly Blondes, 13, of Mattituck, added that “the whale’s tail teaches us how to be creative with this problem. It’s a beautiful way to showcase the change we need.” 

The completed whale tail will be on display at the Peconic Community school permanently in the school’s front garden.

The post Students repurpose litter to create work of art appeared first on The Suffolk Times.

Here are the headlines for April 29, 2024.

THE SUFFOLK TIMES

North Fork offers respite from devastation in Haiti

Students repurpose litter to create work of art

RIVERHEAD NEWS-REVIEW

Colorful new pub on tap at Indian Island golf course

BID ‘Alive on 25’ fireworks, laser show this summer

SHELTER ISLAND REPORTER

Shelter Island’s ferries weathering storms

NORTHFORKER

Worth the Stop: North Fork happy hours

SOUTHFORKER

Southside Sips: Wall Street Manhattan

The daily update is a briefing on what’s happening across the North Fork and Shelter Island.

​Get the daily update delivered straight to your inbox every weekday by subscribing to our newsletter.

The post Daily Update: North Fork offers respite from devastation in Haiti appeared first on The Suffolk Times.